Category Archives: racial discrimination

VT Student Anti-Racism Network launches 2022 racial equity report

environmental justice, fair housing, finance and race, housing discrimination, housing inequality, Inclusive Communities, racial discrimination, Vermont

VSARN (Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network) launched its Racial Equity Report at a virtual press conference on Monday, Aug. 29. VSARN is a Vermont-wide coalition of high school and college students working to combat racial inequities in the state. 

The cover of the Racial Equity Report, authored by VSARN

The report includes recommendations to improve racial inequities in Vermont, including revising state curricula for schools to be culturally inclusive, anti-racist, and multicultural and prioritizing restorative justice practices in schools.

Monday’s event opened with comments from the report’s authors, Emily Maikoo, Addie Lentzner, and Minelle Sarfo Adu, and illustrator, Isabella Ingegneri – all of whom are Vermont high schoolers or new college students. Also present were Saudia LaMont, a candidate for the Vermont House, and Rep. Michelle Bos-Lun (D-Westminster) who congratulated the authors on their work, commenting that they were working to fill an educational gap in Vermont schools. Rep. Bos-Lun noted that the report includes recommendations that she hopes to incorporate into future legislative efforts in the Vermont House, in particular restorative justice in schools. The event concluded with questions from the audience.

Minelle Sarfo Adu of South Burlington, a freshman at Antioch University and past CVOEO/Thriving Communities intern, spoke about racial discrimination in housing – noting that BIPOC families are much less likely to be homeowners in Vermont and are disproportionately impacted by rapidly rising rents. 

Two of the report’s authors, Addie Lentzner and Emily Maikoo, with report illustrator Isabella Ingegneri, Rep. Michelle Bos-Lun, and Vermont House candidate Saudia LaMont, who all spoke at the launch.

Report highlights

In addition to the recommendations to improve racial inequities in Vermont through changes to policing, criminal legal reform, youth justice efforts, educational curriculum, economic justice, housing equity and supports, healthcare reform, and broad trauma-informed education and anti-bias training, the report includes:

  • A brief history of racism and slavery in Vermont and its impact on housing discrimination, healthcare, and criminal justice.
  • The results of the authors’ survey of students at Mount Anthony Union High School, in Bennington, Vt. Key findings included:
    • 79% of respondents said they dis not get a substantial education on race and racism in elementary school
    • 42% of respondents had experienced microaggressions in interactions with teachers
    • 50% of respondents said that is is hard to live in Vermont because of its lack of diversity
  • Read the full report at the VSARN website

And check out press coverage of the launch at VTDigger and WCAX! 

New VT housing discrimination survey – Please spread the word!

housing discrimination, Inclusive Communities, racial discrimination, Vermont

By Shiferaw Gemeda
Fair Housing Project Community Organizer

The Fair Housing Project of CVOEO and the Vermont Human Rights Commission are collecting data on the prevalence of housing discrimination in Vermont. We know that many people experience illegal housing discrimination, exclusion, and harassment but only a small percentage of these instances get reported. We have developed a community survey to learn more about housing stability in Vermont and the ways that people are excluded from or treated differently in housing.

Have you ever been denied access to housing or been treated differently in your apartment search or home purchase, financing or other transactions because of your race, skin color, disability, national origin, religion, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation/gender identity, or because you have children, receive public assistance (like Section 8 or other vouchers), or have experienced abuse, sexual assault, or stalking?

Please spare few minutes to answer this confidential survey. It is available in English, Nepali, Arabic, Spanish, and French. A printable version is available for download here. The survey deadline is July 12, 2021.

Survey link:  https://forms.office.com/r/jDJG5zu1J9

The results will be used to design better strategies to ensure fair and equitable housing choice for all in the state of Vermont.

For more information, contact Shiferaw Gemeda at sgemeda@cvoeo.org.

CVOEO Statement of Support to the Asian-American Community

human rights, racial discrimination, , ,

The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity grieves for and stands with the victims, their families, and the entire community in Atlanta. We feel the burning pain of the intolerance, misogyny, and racism that led to these eight tragic deaths. We stand up in protest to their murders because we cannot bear to see racism, misogyny, or any other manifestation of intolerance exist and spread further fear. This has to stop.

To you, our Asian and Asian-American community members, you are our next-door neighbors; you are our co-workers, your children are our children’s classmates. We are each a part of one another. We see you. We see your strength. We see you rise, day after day, to make our community stronger. We see the many ways you contribute to and help lead our community. We see you making Vermont more inclusive and stronger every day.

When someone dies, we are called to remember how important and sacred life is. We must continually recommit to shared values that ensure safety, equity, and a more just society for all. At CVOEO, we strive to help build a diverse, fair, equitable, and unbiased society by providing support to individuals in meeting their needs and reaching their goals. We know that your safety is our safety and your freedom is our freedom. We are all in this life together.

As an organization, CVOEO will continue to take action to move towards a just society. We will continue advocating for policies, education and resources that dismantle racism. To our Asian and Asian-American community members, and our BIPOC and LGBTQ plus community members: We see you! We believe in your dignity, resilience and strength and we stand with you; you are part of us.

To people across Vermont we invite you to join with CVOEO as we strive towards a fair, equitable, and just society where each individual, regardless of their skin color, gender, sexual identity, religion, income level, or political affiliation, belongs.

Vermont Human Rights Commission Statement Against Asian American and Pacific Islander Violence & Discrimination

Please also see the recent statement by the Vermont Human Rights Commission in solidarity with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community members. HRC’s statement includes:

  • Statistics on incidents of hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, shunning, and child bullying against AAPI in the United States over the past year: 3,795 incidents, ranging from verbal harassment to physical assault. The Stop AAPI Hate Report paints only a sliver of what is happening on the ground because not all survivors of harassment, discrimination, and acts of violence come forward. There are many barriers to speaking out.  
  • A link to the recording of HRC’s May townhall “When Fear Turns to Hate: Addressing Racism in VT against Asian and Pacific Islander Communities.“
  • Concrete ways to support AAPI community members in Vermont:
    • On April 8th, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., join the Peace and Justice Center, SURJ, and the Vermont Human Rights Commission in a Bystander Intervention training. Register here: Meeting Registration
    • If you are a member of the AAPI community and would like to stay connected to other AAPI community members e-mail Amanda.garces@vermont.gov to direct you to grassroots groups creating connection and community. 
    • If you experience harassment or discrimination, report it to Human Rights Commission or Attorney General’s Office.